Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"And then, the following week, at your company dinner, you even made Sophia White's favorite seafood risotto. Oh, so all that seafood you had specially flown in earlier wasn't for me."

"Do you even remember how long it's been since I, your wife, have had any seafood—just because you're allergic to it?"

"I bet you don't remember. I can't even remember either. It's been so long that I've almost forgotten what seafood tastes like."

"In all the years we've been married, except for the day we got our marriage certificates, you've never even stepped foot in the kitchen. You said you were too busy and told me to handle things on my own."

"So you were really just too busy taking care of someone else, weren't you?"

I sat up straight, waiting to hear what kind of answer he would give me.

William had been silent for a long time.

"Since you have nothing to say, I'll keep going..."

He suddenly cut me off, his eyes filled with regret: "Please, stop. Just stop talking."

I laughed and asked him: "Why can't I talk?"

I blinked, wiping away the tears that had started to fall.

"Tell me—when you were doing all these things, what were you thinking? Were you thinking that a young girl would make you look more like a successful boss? Or were you thinking about when you could kick this old hag out of the house?"

"No! I didn't!" William had grabbed my hand. "I never once thought about betraying you!"

He said: "I admit it—I got a little too close to Sophia White. But I really was just trying to help her because she's a young girl who's had a hard time. I didn't do anything to betray you! I didn't!"

"Is that so?" I pushed his hand away. "But William Green, you might not have even noticed it yourself—you've already started resisting my affection."

I stared straight at him: "And just yesterday, Sophia White threw herself into your arms and acted all coquettish with you."

I guessed that fate just didn't want us to stay together. Even when I had passed by William's company by chance, I had to see him fooling around with another woman.

That's why I had tested him that morning.

I said each word slowly and clearly: "William Green, the truth is, you already changed your heart a long time ago. You already betrayed our relationship."

"Annie Brown, I didn't cheat on you," William had hugged me tightly. "If you don't believe me, I'll fire Sophia White right away. I'll make sure she never steps foot in the company again. I'll turn down all the dinners outside and make you seafood risotto. Believe me, I didn't do anything wrong!"

As I smelled the faint scent of lily of the valley on William's clothes, I asked him: "William Green, do you know that lily of the valley is my least favorite scent?"

William's body had stiffened. He clearly understood what I was implying.

He had really forgotten. Otherwise, he wouldn't have hugged me like that, letting me smell Sophia White's perfume on him.

"I... I'm sorry, Annie Brown. I didn't expect her to hug me. Please, give me another chance. Just one more chance..."

I could feel William's tears falling onto my neck, and his body was trembling slightly.

In that moment, I believed that he was truly regretful.

I whispered a single word: "Okay."

William would soon realize that a moment of guilt meant nothing. He had asked me to trust him again, but things would never be that easy.

A broken mirror could never be made whole again. Our only future would be repeating the same mistakes.